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Helder Costa is reportedly continuing to struggle on loan at Valencia this season, further suggesting he has no future at Leeds United.

The Lowdown: Costa loaned out to Valencia

The 27-year-old didn’t get much playing time at Elland Road last season, making just 13 Premier League starts and often failing to oust the likes of Raphinha and Jack Harrison.

Marcelo Bielsa decided to loan Costa out to Valencia in the summer in the hope that he would find another gear and enjoy more minutes.

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The Latest: Winger’s struggles now ‘even worse’

It hasn’t panned out that way for the Portuguese speedster, however, with Marca [via Sport Witness] claiming that Valencia manager Jose Bordalas is fuming with his lack of defensive work currently.

It has meant that Costa has played just 16 minutes of La Liga action so far this season, highlighting his struggles, and this comes after he was lambasted in the Spanish press and told to ‘wake up’ last week.

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The Verdict: No Leeds future

Costa is a gifted player with a great left foot – Bielsa has described him as ‘very important’ in the past – but he flattered to deceive too often for Leeds, hence the manager’s decision to ship him off.

The winger’s current woes only further prove that this was the right decision and it is almost impossible to see him returning to Elland Road and having a future there – if his work rate is not fit for purpose, there is simply way to thrive in Bielsa’s system.

Dan James’ arrival from Manchester United has only pushed him further down the pecking order and he needs to settle at a permanent club or risk his career starting to fizzle out.

In other news, one pundit has bemoaned an injury layoff for one Leeds player. Find out who it is here.

Crystal Palace will be aiming to pick up their first victory under the tutelage of new manager Patrick Vieira when they host Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League this afternoon.

What’s the word?

The Eagles have collected two points from a possible nine so far this season and are set to face a tricky task when the current league leaders arrive at Selhurst Park for the early kick-off.

Palace’s day’s work will be made even harder after Vieira ruled versatile midfielder Jeffrey Schlupp out of action after he picked up an injury while on international duty.

“The only one who came back with an injury was Jeffrey Schlupp. He felt his hamstring, so he won’t be involved in the game tomorrow. Everybody else came back fit,” the Frenchman revealed in Friday’s press conference.

“(Eberechi) Eze and Nathan (Ferguson) are progressing, and it will still take a while for them to get back and training with the team.”

Patrick Vieira will be frustrated

Schlupp has started three of Palace’s four games in all competitions so far this season, so Vieira will likely be frustrated to be without the 28-year-old for the visit of in-form Spurs.

After the Eagles failed to replace winger Andros Townsend over the summer, the Ghana international has been fielded out wide in the early stages of the campaign, and his latest injury setback will leave Vieira short of options on the flanks.

Talismanic star Wilfried Zaha is currently the only natural winger in Palace’s first team squad, and Schlupp’s enforced absence is likely to mean that Jordan Ayew is selected in his less favoured wide position.

In other news… Journalist reveals exciting Crystal Palace transfer update which will have fans buzzing 

Lots of Everton fans have been left fuming as some injury news emerged on Jordan Pickford, Richarlison and Seamus Coleman.

As per the official Twitter page of the Goodison Park faithful, all three players are now expected to be out injured for between two and three weeks.

They were all missing in the 3-0 drubbing by Aston Villa away from home in the Premier League on Saturday evening, and are clearly very important players to the team.

With games in the Carabao Cup and the top flight coming up, including an away trip to Manchester United, Rafa Benitez will now be sweating on the fitness of his key men as they look to bounce back from a disappointing defeat, with their next match in the division at home to bottom-placed Norwich City now looking vital in terms of getting back on track.

Everton fans on injury news

These Merseyside club supporters fumed as the injury news was shared on Twitter:

“Can we have an international break please?”

Credit: @efcmarty78

“Sack Marcel Brands”

Credit: @efcIucas

“Season over, thanks lads”

Credit: @HarryCollier6

“This is not the kind of post-loss news we needed.”

Credit: @AndyCostigan1

“Christ, only 4 games into the season! Going to be a long old ride to finishing 10th-12th again!”

Credit: @PaulHill9944

“We’re going down”

Credit: @HarryLambert24

In other news, find out what club news has Toffees buzzing here!

According to a report by Daily Express journalist Ryan Taylor, Tottenham Hotspur are now expected to submit their first formal bid for Fiorentina star Dusan Vlahovic after ‘behind the scenes’ talks with his agent.

The Lowdown: Spurs eyeing Vlahovic…

As per reports, Tottenham have had their eye on Vlahovic for quite a while – with The Times claiming that talks had been held over signing him way back in late June.

More recently, Italian transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano has backed Spurs’ interest whilst going one step further and relaying that the Lilywhites are indeed in contact with his agents (Twitch via The Boot Room).

This latest development comes after reports suggested Atletico Madrid were ready to agree a fee to sign the striker this week.

The Latest: Spurs bid expected…

According to The Express, Spurs are now expected to submit a formal bid for the youngster after ‘behind the scenes’ talks with his representative, Darko Ristic.

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It is also believed that Tottenham have moved Vlahovic to the top of their striker wish list after stuttering in negotiations to sign Inter Milan star Lautaro Martinez.

The Nerazzurri blocked Martinez’ switch to Spurs after Chelsea signed Romelu Lukaku, with Fiorentina apparently now braced for a serious attempt from Tottenham to bag their star striker.

In another turn of events, Vlahovic himself is personally open to the idea of joining Spurs and he could still sign for the Lilywhites regardless of Harry Kane’s future at the club.

The Verdict: Do it…

Moving for Martinez was always going to be a tough move to pull off and we believe landing Vlahovic as an alternative would be perfect for Spurs.

The Serbia international bagged a phenomenal 21 goals in 37 appearances for La Viola last season in Serie A and has been described as ‘incredible’ by Italian top flight critics who watched him throughout 2020/2021 (Conor Clancy to This is Futbol).

At just 21, Vlahovic also comes with the massive potential for sell-on value and, judging by his recent accolades, he can only get better.

In other news: ‘Omg’, ‘Yessss’, ‘I beg’…Many Tottenham fans erupt as ‘perfect’ news emerges, find out more here.

Liverpool supporters have been starved of excitement throughout the current transfer window, with Ibrahima Konate the only arrival so far, but that could change before the August 31st deadline.

What’s the story?

According to the Liverpool Echo, the Reds have West Ham United winger Jarrod Bowen on their watchlist, although it remains to be seen if they’ll make a move for him this summer.

The departure of Xherdan Shaqiri has freed up funds for Jurgen Klopp and director of football Michael Edwards, but the report claims that any incoming may hinge on Divock Origi also departing Anfield.

Jurgen Klopp will love it

Last season was a hugely underwhelming affair for Klopp’s charges. The Anfield outfit surrendered their Premier League crown without a fight, slipping to third in the top-flight standings, ending the season a whopping 17 points behind champions Manchester City.

As a result, the German tactician is thought to be in the market for at least one attacking target before the summer window closes.

The normally dependable duo of Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino suffered a severe drop-off in form in 2020/21, scoring 11 and nine goals respectively in the league, while Shaqiri and Origi failed to adequately replace them.

It’s led to Klopp attempting to make significant alterations to his options in the final third of the pitch, although his limited budget has left him playing the waiting game.

However, now Shaqiri has been snapped up by Lyon, and with Origi appearing to be getting nudges towards the Anfield exit door, a move for Bowen could be on the cards.

The 24-year-old impressed in the Championship after rising through the ranks at boyhood club Hull City, scored double figures in consecutive years for the Tigers as they toiled in the second-tier of English football.

And although he’s struggled to replicate the same form in front of goal at the London Stadium, scoring nine goals and providing 10 assists in 55 appearances for the Hammers, Bowen’s overall play has seemingly impressed Liverpool.

His unquestionable work rate, stamina and ability with the ball at his feet make him a good fit for Klopp’s unique gegenpressing style, meaning the former Borussia Dortmund boss would surely love to be able to call upon his services.

It remains to be seen whether Liverpool do make a formal offer for Bowen, but his proposed arrival has the potential to have the same impact that Diogo Jota’s had just 12 months ago.

And, in other news…Heir to Shaqiri: LFC eye move for “special” £19.8m-rated wizard, Klopp will love him

Aston Villa are expected to land Manchester United defender Axel Tuanzebe on a season-long loan, according to Sky Sports.

Well-known Villa page @villareport shared the news on the defender, which left many Villa supporters delighted.

Sky Sports claimed live on Wednesday that Tuanzebe is set to sign a one-year contract extension at Old Trafford before moving to the Midlands for a third loan spell.

The 23-year-old spent the second half of the 2017/18 season at Villa Park and the entirety of the 2018/19 campaign, helping the club earn promotion to the Premier League.

He’s made a total of 35 appearances for Villa and it appears as if he will link up with Dean Smith once again on a temporary basis.

Tuanzebe looks set to become Villa’s fifth summer signing and will more than likely provide cover to Tyrone Mings and Ezri Konsa, while also having the ability to play at right-back if required.

Villa fans react

@villareport shared Sky Sports’ claim regarding Tuanzebe on Wednesday afternoon. This is what these Villa fans had to say in reply, with one ‘buzzing’.

“And the transfers are flowing in now”Credit: @will_avfc”Get in!”Credit: @Schlippertysch1″Yessss”Credit: @Shy_Rhy”Buzzing for this one”Credit: @CozzaAVFC”All over this”Credit: @Shans_louisee”Class backup! Good move for everyone”Credit: @VillaJaake

In other news: ‘All happening’, ‘Alongside JWP?’ – Many Aston Villa fans react as ‘great’ news is confirmed. 

The Athletic’s Crystal Palace reporter Matt Woosnam believes Christian Benteke deserves credit for bouncing back after a tough couple of years with injuries.

Benteke missed a large portion of the 2018/2019 season with a knee injury and the following season missed further games through injury also.

The striker missed Palace’s opening two Premier League games last season with an ankle injury, but after being side lined over the past few seasons through injury, the striker hit some form last season, scoring 10 goals in the Premier League including four in Palace’s last five matches of the season.

Benteke signed a contract extension with Palace earlier in the summer and has continued his goalscoring form in pre-season as he got on the scoresheet in Palace’s 3-1 victory over Watford, as well as finding the back of the net against Brentford B just a few days later.

Benteke is happy to be back telling Crystal Palace’s media channels: “I feel good, obviously I need more minutes, but I feel good. I’m happy to be back and I’m looking forward to this new season.”

Woosnam believes that the striker has worked really to get back to form after a tough period of injuries, telling Football FanCast: “He went on obviously a good run towards the end of the season before getting injured – I think it was in the Arsenal game or just before which was unfortunate – but I think he worked hard to come back from sort of a real malaise over a couple of years.”

After hitting form at the end of last season and getting himself goals in pre-season, Benteke will be hoping that all the injuries are behind him and he can have a really good season for Crystal Palace in front of goal.

David Moyes is risking a West Ham nightmare if emerging claims are to be believed…

What’s the word?

According to the ever-reliable ExWHUemployee, the Irons are yet to lodge a bid for the 58-year-old’s mooted top transfer target Tammy Abraham.

He claims that they are waiting for Chelsea to sign another striker before making their move, with the Blues believed to want in the region of £40m for his signature.

Their London rivals have been linked with some big-name signings, including Spurs’ Harry Kane and Borussia Dortmund wonderkid Erling Haaland, in recent weeks.

Dithering Dave

This latest update doesn’t make much sense at all.

If Chelsea need funds to help sign a new striker, then it would make sense to sell Abraham first. Even then, the Hammers sitting around waiting does very little to help their squad going into a potential 50-plus game campaign.

The new season gets underway in less than a month and, as it stands, Moyes will be heading into kick-off against Newcastle United still with only one senior centre-forward, an injury-prone Michail Antonio.

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He has only once started more than 24 league games in a season for the Irons since his arrival six years ago, so it would be a huge risk to rely upon him with the club also soon to be competing in the Europa League.

GSB failed to replace Sebastien Haller after his departure to Ajax during the January transfer window and Moyes would be foolish to sit back and wait for his reported number one target.

Abraham is clearly out of favour under Thomas Tuchel at Stamford Bridge, having started only four matches in all competitions since the German replaced Frank Lampard at the start of the year.

Even still, the 23-year-old England international finished the campaign just one goal behind their top league goalscorer, Jorginho with seven, and the Italian – as we know very well – is their penalty taker.

Once lauded as a “goal machine” by his former academy teammate Kasey Palmer, Abraham has found the net 30 times across his entire Chelsea career, and given his experience in both the Premier League and across Europe, he would be a astute addition for Moyes this summer.

However, if the manager continues to dither and not even attempt to bid for the striker, then the Irons could be heading for an absolute nightmare by the time August 15 swings around.

AND in other news, ExWHUemployee drops exciting West Ham transfer update…

Celtic midfielder Olivier Ntcham could now be on his way to AEK Athens after all.

The Lowdown: A strange few months for Ntcham

It’s been a busy time regarding Ntcham’s future after Marseille decided against making his loan move a permanent deal.

Reports in May from a Celtic source suggested that the Hoops found a loophole in the Frenchman’s deal and would terminate his contract with 12 months to go.

Ntcham remains a Celtic player at this moment in time, despite interest from AEK Athens.

The Greek side agreed personal terms with Ntcham and were hoping to secure a free transfer, however, reports earlier this week claimed they pulled out of the race for the central midfielder.

It seems as if a move to Greece could now be back on, though, going off the latest rumours.

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The Latest: Ntcham update

A report from Greek outlet Sporttime.gr, cited by Glasgow Live, claim that AEK are now ‘checking’ on whether they can afford to buy Ntcham and will make a bid to sign him.

The Hoops want money for the 25-year-old, who Neil Lennon described as ‘fantastic’, with his Transfermarkt valuation currently standing at £2.7m.

The Verdict: McKay could be about to play a blinder

Should Celtic receive a fee close to his £2.7m valuation, new Hoops CEO Dominic McKay would’ve played a blinder.

It was just weeks ago that Celtic seemed ready to cut ties with Ntcham and terminate his deal, but they could now end up bringing in money for his services, while also getting his £14,000-a-week wage off the Parkhead books.

By doing just that, Celtic could then put that money towards a deal for Hadjuk Split defender Mario Vuskovic, who has been linked with a £5m Celtic Park move and £12,000-a-week wage recently.

Make no mistake about it, if McKay can secure a fee for a player who seemingly no one wants and reinvest that money back into the squad, it will be a huge success.

In other news: Ange Postecoglou now wants Celtic to halt advanced talks with ‘class’ ace, find out more here. 

Roma have reportedly opened talks with Southampton centre-back Jannik Vestergaard, and it would be a huge blow for Ralph Hasenhuttl to lose him this summer.

What’s the word?

Italian football journalist Nicolo Schira has suggested that Roma are in talks with the Denmark international over a potential summer deal, after his impressive performances for club and country in the past 12 months.

The former Borussia Monchengladbach man played a key role for Kasper Hjulmand’s side as they reached the semi-finals of the European Championships this summer, making six appearances and averaging a solid 6.79 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

Would it be a blow for Hasenhuttl to lose Vestergaard?

Considering he has just one year left on his contract with Southampton, it is no surprise that teams are taking an interest in the 28-year-old this summer, and if a new contract cannot be agreed upon, it would not be out of the question to see him depart this year rather than potentially losing him for nothing in 2022.

After an up and down start to his Southampton career, Vestergaard was one of the most consistent performers in Hasenhuttl’s side last season, contributing three goals in 30 Premier League appearances, averaging a 6.89 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

This was enough to rank him as the third-best performer in the Austrian’s side last season, so it would undoubtedly be a blow if he were to depart this summer, as he is clearly an influential part of the squad.

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After a win against Burnley last season, Hasenhuttl was full of praise for the centre-back, saying:

“There were a lot of headers and crosses today, that is clear, and plenty of long balls into our box and he is absolutely phenomenal because of his strength in the air.

“On the ball, he is also very calm and gives us a real lift. I think he was one of the best players in my side today and he played with a good performance.”

Southampton would be losing a huge aerial threat both in their box and the opposition box if Vestergaard were to leave, so Saints fans would surely be gutted if he were to leave.

And, in other news… Fabrizio Romano drops Southampton transfer news on “excellent” gem, Saints fans will be buzzing